Cedar Fence - Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the best ype of material for a wooden fence?- The best and longest lasting fences are build with Northern White Cedar.
2. Why is cedar the best? - The heartwood is resistant to decay, making it especially desirable for service in contact with the ground.
3. How long will it last? - Cedar's natural resistance will give it a life expectancy of from 15-20 years.* A comparable fence made with spruce would have a life expectancy of 3-7 years.
4. Do the posts need to be treated? - No, tests have proven that dipping a cedar post in creosote will not effect the life expectancy of the post. Posts should go 36" into the ground.
5. What type of joint should I use between the post and panel? - Use dowel-end backer rails, which fit into a drilled post. "Nail on" type panels don't have the strength to last.
6. Should I use "backer rails"? - Yes, use cedar backer rails; either the rustic round rail, or the moulded dowel 2"x3" rail.
7. What are the best pickets to use? - #1 cedar pickets are 100% solid wood, solid knots, with no bark. They are 2 7/8"x7/8" and will not shrink as spruce pickets do.
8. What type of nails should be used? - Use either galvanized steel or aluminum nails. #1 panels should have 5 nails per picket (4 nails on 4' height).
9. Should the panels be stained? - They can, but ordinarily a cedar fence is left unfinished to weatherbleach naturally to a beautiful silver grey.
10. What is wood "checking"? - When full round timber dries, the exterior surface (sapwood) shrinks faster than the inner surface (heartwood). The result is the familiar "check" which is technically neither a split nor a crack.
*Extremely wet or shaded conditions will shorten the life expectancy of the fence.